Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service Channel Mapping and Multiplexing

ABSTRACT

A system is provided for mapping multimedia broadcast multicast services. The system includes one or more processors programmed to map a plurality of multicast transport channels (MCHs) to a plurality of multicast/broadcast single frequency networks (MBSFNs) such that any one of the MBSFNs has only one MCH and further where each one of the MCHs is different.

BACKGROUND

In traditional wireless telecommunications systems, transmissionequipment in a base station transmits signals throughout a geographicalregion known as a cell. As technology has evolved, more advanced networkaccess equipment has been introduced that can provide services that werenot possible previously. This advanced network access equipment mightinclude, for example, an enhanced node B (ENB) rather than a basestation or other systems and devices that are more highly evolved thanthe equivalent equipment in a traditional wireless telecommunicationssystem. Such advanced or next generation equipment may be referred toherein as long-term evolution (LTE) equipment. For LTE equipment, theregion in which a wireless device can gain access to atelecommunications network might be referred to by a name other than“cell”, such as “hot spot”. As used herein, the term “cell” will be usedto refer to any region in which a wireless device can gain access to atelecommunications network, regardless of whether the wireless device isa traditional cellular device, an LTE device, or some other device.

Devices that might be used by users in a telecommunications network caninclude both mobile terminals, such as mobile telephones, personaldigital assistants, handheld computers, portable computers, laptopcomputers, tablet computers and similar devices, and fixed terminalssuch as residential gateways, televisions, set-top boxes and the like.Such devices will be referred to herein as user equipment or UE.

A group of LTE-based cells might be under the control of a single entityknown as a central control. The central control typically manages andcoordinates certain activities with a group of cells such as thescheduling of transmissions and the control of a modulation and codingscheme for the cells. The modulation and coding schemes might includebinary phase-shift keying (BPSK), quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK),quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), or other schemes that will befamiliar to one of skill in the art.

Services that might be provided by LTE-based equipment can includebroadcasts or multicasts of television programs, streaming video,streaming audio, and other multimedia content. Such services arecommonly referred to as multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS).An MBMS might be transmitted throughout a single cell or throughoutseveral contiguous or overlapping cells. A set of cells receiving anMBMS can be referred to as a service area. A service area and a regionunder the control of a central control do not necessarily coincide. Forexample, a central control might specify that a first subset of cellsunder its control will deliver a first MBMS and that a second subset ofcells under its control will deliver a second MBMS.

When multiple cells overlap, a UE within the overlapped region canreceive transmissions from multiple ENBs. It is well known in the artthat when a UE receives substantially identical data from a plurality ofENBs, the transmissions from the ENBs can augment one another to providea signal of significantly higher quality than would be the case if onlyone ENB were transmitting the signal. That is, a higher signal-to-noiseratio can be achieved when substantially the same data is transmitted atsubstantially the same time on substantially the same resource withsubstantially the same modulation and coding. A region in which aplurality of substantially identical signals are present is known as asingle frequency network, or SFN. In the case where all of the ENBs in aservice area are transmitting an MBMS with substantially identicalsignals, the service area can be referred to a multicast/broadcast SFN(MBSFN).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is nowmade to the following brief description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein like referencenumerals represent like parts.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a cellular network according to anembodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a cell in a cellular network according toan embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a structure for a multimedia broadcast multicastservice transmission operable for some of the various embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a plurality of multicast/broadcast singlefrequency networks operable for some of the various embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a method for multimedia broadcast multicastservice mapping according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a wireless communications system including userequipment operable for some of the various embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of user equipment operable for some of thevarious embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a diagram of a software environment that may be implemented onuser equipment operable for some of the various embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 9 is an illustrative general purpose computer system suitable forsome of the various embodiments of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It should be understood at the outset that although illustrativeimplementations of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure areprovided below, the disclosed systems and/or methods may be implementedusing any number of techniques, whether currently known or in existence.The disclosure should in no way be limited to the illustrativeimplementations, drawings, and techniques illustrated below, includingthe exemplary designs and implementations illustrated and describedherein, but may be modified within the scope of the appended claimsalong with their full scope of equivalents.

In an embodiment, a system is provided for mapping multimedia broadcastmulticast services. The system includes one or more processorsprogrammed to map a plurality of multicast transport channels (MCHs) toa plurality of multicast/broadcast single frequency networks (MBSFNs)such that any one of the MBSFNs has only one MCH and further where eachone of the MCHs is different.

In another embodiment, a method is provided for mapping multimediabroadcast multicast services. The method includes mapping a plurality ofmulticast transport channels (MCHs) to a plurality ofmulticast/broadcast single frequency networks (MBSFNs) such that any oneof the MBSFNs has only one MCH and further where each one of the MCHs isdifferent.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary cellular network 100 according to anembodiment of the disclosure. The cellular network 100 may include aplurality of cells 102 ₁, 102 ₂, 102 ₃, 102 ₄, 102 ₅, 102 ₆, 102 ₇, 102₈, 102 ₉, 102 ₁₀, 102 ₁₁, 102 ₁₂, 102 ₁₃, and 102 ₁₄ (collectivelyreferred to as cells 102). As is apparent to persons of ordinary skillin the art, each of the cells 102 represents a coverage area forproviding cellular services of the cellular network 100 throughcommunication from an enhanced node B (ENB). While the cells 102 aredepicted as having non-overlapping coverage areas, persons of ordinaryskill in the art will recognize that one or more of the cells 102 mayhave partially overlapping coverage with adjacent cells. Further, whilea particular number of the cells 102 are depicted, persons of ordinaryskill in the art will recognize that a larger or smaller number of thecells 102 may be included in the cellular network 100.

One or more UEs 10 may be present in each of the cells 102. Althoughonly one UE 10 is depicted and is shown in only one cell 102 ₁₂, it willbe apparent to one of skill in the art that a plurality of UEs 10 mightbe present in each of the cells 102. An ENB 20 in each of the cells 102performs functions similar to those of a traditional base station. Thatis, the ENBs 20 provide a radio link between the UEs 10 and othercomponents in a telecommunications network. While the ENB 20 is shownonly in cell 102 ₁₂, it should be understood that an ENB would bepresent in each of the cells 102. Also, radio links other than the ENBs20 could be used. A central control 110 oversees the wireless datatransmissions within the cells 102 by providing centralized managementand coordination for the cells 102 and their corresponding ENBs 20.

In the present disclosure, the cellular systems or cells 102 aredescribed as engaged in certain activities, such as transmittingsignals; however, as will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art,these activities would in fact be conducted by components comprising thecells. As an example, FIG. 2 depicts a more detailed view of the cell102 ₁₂. The ENB 20 in cell 102 ₁₂ can promote communication via atransmitter 27, a receiver 29, and/or other well known equipment.Similar equipment might be present in the other cells 102. A pluralityof UEs 10 are present in the cell 102 ₁₂, as might be the case in theother cells 102.

The transmission of an MBMS in one or more of the cells 102 can includetwo components, a multicast control channel (MCCH) and a multicasttraffic channel (MTCH). The MTCH delivers the actual content of the MBMSwhile the MCCH delivers control information related to the MBMS. TheMCCH might include key control information that specifies how thecontent in the MTCH is to be delivered. Configuration information forthe MCCH might be transmitted in a broadcast control channel (BCCH).Each of the cells 102 might transmit information over a BCCH to providethe UEs 10 with information about the MBMSs available in the cells 102and with other information. When one of the UEs 10 powers up, it canreceive the BCCH, read the MCCH configuration contained in the BCCH, anddetermine from the MCCH control information how to receive one or moreMTCHs.

In an embodiment, the MCCH control information is divided into twoportions: master control information and service control information.The master control information can also be referred to as primary MCCH(P-MCCH) information and the service control information can also bereferred to as secondary MCCH (S-MCCH) information. The S-MCCHinformation can include information about how an MTCH can be received.The P-MCCH information can directly include the S-MCCH information orcan include a pointer to a location where the S-MCCH information can beretrieved.

In an embodiment, the S-MCCH information includes control informationfor one or more MTCH transmissions. This might include schedulinginformation for one or more MTCHs, modulation and coding information forone or more MTCHs, and SFN-related parameters such as a blocked celllist. Since multiple MTCHs might be transmitted by a single ENB 20, anda different set of S-MCCH information might be needed for each MTCH,multiple sets of S-MCCH information might be associated with the BCCHtransmitted by the single ENB 20.

In various embodiments, the P-MCCH information contains or points toscheduling information for the S-MCCH information. That is, the P-MCCHinformation specifies when and where the S-MCCH information isavailable. The UEs 10 can then use the scheduling information in theS-MCCH information to receive one or more MTCHs. A single set of P-MCCHinformation might be associated with multiple sets of S-MCCHinformation.

As is well known in the art, the MTCH and the MCCH are logical, upperlayer channels. The lower layer transport channel on which the MTCH andthe MCCH are carried is typically referred to as the MBMS multicastchannel, the multicast transport channel, or simply the MCH. FIG. 3illustrates an embodiment of a structure of an MBMS transmission 300.The transmission 300 includes an MCCH portion 310 and an MTCH portion320. The MCCH 310 and the MTCH 320 are transported on an MCH layer 330.The MCCH 310 includes a P-MCCH portion 312 and an S-MCCH portion 314.The MTCH portion 320 includes a plurality of individual MTCHs 322, eachcorresponding to a different MBMS. While four MTCHs 322 are shown, inother embodiments, a larger or smaller number of MTCHs 322 could bepresent. Also, while the MCCH portion 310 and the MTCH portion 320 areshown being carried on the same MCH layer 330, in some cases, the MCCHportion 310 and the MTCH portion 320 could be carried on different MCHs.

FIG. 4 illustrates a plurality of MBSFNs in which a broadcast and/ormulticast of a plurality of MBMS transmissions, such as the MBMStransmission 300, might occur. A first MBSFN 420 includes cells 102 ₁,102 ₂, 102 ₄, 102 ₆, 102 ₇, 102 ₉, 102 ₁₁, and 102 ₁₂. A second MBSFN430 includes cells 102 ₃, 102 ₆, and 102 ₈. A third MBSFN 440 includescells 102 ₅, 102 ₇, and 102 ₁₀. That is, a broadcast and/or multicast ofa first MBMS can be assumed to be occurring in the first MBSFN 420, abroadcast and/or multicast of a second MBMS can be assumed to beoccurring in the second MBSFN 430, and a broadcast and/or multicast of athird MBMS can be assumed to be occurring in the third MBSFN 440.

Cell 102 ₆ belongs to both the first MBSFN 420 and the second MBSFN 430,and therefore broadcasts and/or multicasts of both the first and thesecond MBMS can be assumed to be occurring in cell 102 ₆. Cell 102 ₇belongs to both the first MBSFN 420 and the third MBSFN 440, andtherefore broadcasts and/or multicasts of both the first and the thirdMBMS can be assumed to be occurring in cell 102 ₇. Broadcasts and/ormulticasts of other MBMSs could be occurring in the cells 102, andtherefore other MBSFNs could be present but are not shown.

In an embodiment, a one-to-one mapping is implemented between an MBSFNand an MCH. That is, each MBSFN uses exactly one MCH, and, in a regionwhere multiple MBSFNs are present, different MBSFNs use different MCHs.In the case where multiple MTCHs (that is, multiple services) aremultiplexed in the same MBSFN, the MTCHs can map to the same MCH. Also,in the case where the S-MCCH and one or more MTCHs are being transmittedin the same MBSFN, the S-MCCH and the MTCHs can map to the same MCH.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, a first MCH would be used in the firstMBSFN 420 and only in the first MBSFN 420, a second MCH would be used inthe second MBSFN 430 and only in the second MBSFN 430, and a third MCHwould be used in the third MBSFN 440 and only in the third MBSFN 440. Ifmultiple MTCHs were being transmitted in a single MBSFN, all of theMTCHs could map to a single MCH. For example, if multiple MTCHs werebeing transmitted in the first MBSFN 420, all of those MTCHs could mapto the first MCH.

Since cell 102 ₆ broadcasts and/or multicasts both the first MBMS andthe second MBMS, cell 102 ₆ broadcasts and/or multicasts both the firstMCH in the first MBSFN 420 and the second MCH in the second MBSFN 430.Similarly, cell 102 ₇ broadcasts and/or multicasts both the first MBMSand the third MBMS, so cell 102 ₇ broadcasts and/or multicasts both thefirst MCH in the first MBSFN 420 and the third MCH in the third MBSFN440.

The P-MCCH typically contains cell-specific information such as a countof the number of users in one of the cells 102 interested in aparticular service. Also, the P-MCCH might be different for differentcells 102 since the cells 102 might be transmitting different services.Since different cells 102 typically have different P-MCCHs, P-MCCHstypically cannot be mapped to a single MCH that is transmitted todifferent cells 102. Instead, a P-MCCH might be mapped to acell-specific MCH that is different from the MCH that carries the MTCHsthat might be associated with the P-MCCH.

In an alternative embodiment, a P-MCCH can be mapped to a downlinkshared channel (DL-SCH) rather than to a cell-specific MCH. The DL-SCHis a cell-specific channel that can carry unicast traffic and can have abetter spectrum efficiency than the MCH.

In some cases, the P-MCCH might not be a separate entity as shown inFIG. 3. Instead, the information that would otherwise be carried in theP-MCCH might be included directly in the BCCH. Alternatively, the BCCHmight include a pointer to the location of the information that wouldotherwise be carried in the P-MCCH. For example, if an MBSFN does notoverlap with any other MBSFNs and/or if counting of interested users isnot needed, the BCCH might directly include or might point to theinformation that would otherwise be carried in the P-MCCH. The firstMBSFN 420 and the second MBSFN 430 as well as the first MBSFN 420 andthe third MBSFN 440 are shown overlapping. However in other embodiments,the current disclosure may be applicable where the MBSFNs are adjacentalthough perhaps not having overlapping cells 102.

FIG. 5 illustrates a method 200 for mapping a plurality of MCHs and aplurality of MBSFNs. In block 210, no more than one of the MCHs ismapped to any one of the MBSFNs. In block 220, a different one of theMCHs is mapped to each of the MBSFNs.

FIG. 6 illustrates a wireless communications system including anembodiment of the UE 10. The UE 10 is operable for implementing aspectsof the disclosure, but the disclosure should not be limited to theseimplementations. Though illustrated as a mobile phone, the UE 10 maytake various forms including a wireless handset, a pager, a personaldigital assistant (PDA), a portable computer, a tablet computer, or alaptop computer. Many suitable devices combine some or all of thesefunctions. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the UE 10 is not ageneral purpose computing device like a portable, laptop or tabletcomputer, but rather is a special-purpose communications device such asa mobile phone, a wireless handset, a pager, a PDA, or atelecommunications device installed in a vehicle. In another embodiment,the UE 10 may be a portable, laptop or other computing device. The UE 10may support specialized activities such as gaming, inventory control,job control, and/or task management functions, and so on.

The UE 10 includes a display 402. The UE 10 also includes atouch-sensitive surface, a keyboard or other input keys generallyreferred as 404 for input by a user. The keyboard may be a full orreduced alphanumeric keyboard such as QWERTY, Dvorak, AZERTY, andsequential types, or a traditional numeric keypad with alphabet lettersassociated with a telephone keypad. The input keys may include atrackwheel, an exit or escape key, a trackball, and other navigationalor functional keys, which may be inwardly depressed to provide furtherinput function. The UE 10 may present options for the user to select,controls for the user to actuate, and/or cursors or other indicators forthe user to direct.

The UE 10 may further accept data entry from the user, including numbersto dial or various parameter values for configuring the operation of theUE 10. The UE 10 may further execute one or more software or firmwareapplications in response to user commands. These applications mayconfigure the UE 10 to perform various customized functions in responseto user interaction. Additionally, the UE 10 may be programmed and/orconfigured over-the-air, for example from a wireless base station, awireless access point, or a peer UE 10.

Among the various applications executable by the UE 10 are a webbrowser, which enables the display 402 to show a web page. The web pagemay be obtained via wireless communications with a wireless networkaccess node, a cell tower, a peer UE 10, or any other wirelesscommunication network or system 400. The network 400 is coupled to awired network 408, such as the Internet. Via the wireless link and thewired network, the UE 10 has access to information on various servers,such as a server 410. The server 410 may provide content that may beshown on the display 402. Alternately, the UE 10 may access the network400 through a peer UE 10 acting as an intermediary, in a relay type orhop type of connection.

FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of the UE 10. While a variety of knowncomponents of UEs 10 are depicted, in an embodiment a subset of thelisted components and/or additional components not listed may beincluded in the UE 10. The UE 10 includes a digital signal processor(DSP) 502 and a memory 504. As shown, the UE 10 may further include anantenna and front end unit 506, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver 508,an analog baseband processing unit 510, a microphone 512, an earpiecespeaker 514, a headset port 516, an input/output interface 518, aremovable memory card 520, a universal serial bus (USB) port 522, ashort range wireless communication sub-system 524, an alert 526, akeypad 528, a liquid crystal display (LCD), which may include a touchsensitive surface 530, an LCD controller 532, a charge-coupled device(CCD) camera 534, a camera controller 536, and a global positioningsystem (GPS) sensor 538. In an embodiment, the UE 10 may include anotherkind of display that does not provide a touch sensitive screen. In anembodiment, the DSP 502 may communicate directly with the memory 504without passing through the input/output interface 518.

The DSP 502 or some other form of controller or central processing unitoperates to control the various components of the UE 10 in accordancewith embedded software or firmware stored in memory 504 or stored inmemory contained within the DSP 502 itself. In addition to the embeddedsoftware or firmware, the DSP 502 may execute other applications storedin the memory 504 or made available via information carrier media suchas portable data storage media like the removable memory card 520 or viawired or wireless network communications. The application software maycomprise a compiled set of machine-readable instructions that configurethe DSP 502 to provide the desired functionality, or the applicationsoftware may be high-level software instructions to be processed by aninterpreter or compiler to indirectly configure the DSP 502.

The antenna and front end unit 506 may be provided to convert betweenwireless signals and electrical signals, enabling the UE 10 to send andreceive information from a cellular network or some other availablewireless communications network or from a peer UE 10. In an embodiment,the antenna and front end unit 506 may include multiple antennas tosupport beam forming and/or multiple input multiple output (MIMO)operations. As is known to those skilled in the art, MIMO operations mayprovide spatial diversity which can be used to overcome difficultchannel conditions and/or increase channel throughput. The antenna andfront end unit 506 may include antenna tuning and/or impedance matchingcomponents, RF power amplifiers, and/or low noise amplifiers.

The RF transceiver 508 provides frequency shifting, converting receivedRF signals to baseband and converting baseband transmit signals to RF.In some descriptions a radio transceiver or RF transceiver may beunderstood to include other signal processing functionality such asmodulation/demodulation, coding/decoding, interleaving/deinterleaving,spreading/despreading, inverse fast Fourier transforming (IFFT)/fastFourier transforming (FFT), cyclic prefix appending/removal, and othersignal processing functions. For the purposes of clarity, thedescription here separates the description of this signal processingfrom the RF and/or radio stage and conceptually allocates that signalprocessing to the analog baseband processing unit 510 and/or the DSP 502or other central processing unit. In some embodiments, the RFTransceiver 508, portions of the Antenna and Front End 506, and theanalog baseband processing unit 510 may be combined in one or moreprocessing units and/or application specific integrated circuits(ASICs).

The analog baseband processing unit 510 may provide various analogprocessing of inputs and outputs, for example analog processing ofinputs from the microphone 512 and the headset 516 and outputs to theearpiece 514 and the headset 516. To that end, the analog basebandprocessing unit 510 may have ports for connecting to the built-inmicrophone 512 and the earpiece speaker 514 that enable the UE 10 to beused as a cell phone. The analog baseband processing unit 510 mayfurther include a port for connecting to a headset or other hands-freemicrophone and speaker configuration. The analog baseband processingunit 510 may provide digital-to-analog conversion in one signaldirection and analog-to-digital conversion in the opposing signaldirection. In some embodiments, at least some of the functionality ofthe analog baseband processing unit 510 may be provided by digitalprocessing components, for example by the DSP 502 or by other centralprocessing units.

The DSP 502 may perform modulation/demodulation, coding/decoding,interleaving/deinterleaving, spreading/despreading, inverse fast Fouriertransforming (IFFT)/fast Fourier transforming (FFT), cyclic prefixappending/removal, and other signal processing functions associated withwireless communications. In an embodiment, for example in a codedivision multiple access (CDMA) technology application, for atransmitter function the DSP 502 may perform modulation, coding,interleaving, and spreading, and for a receiver function the DSP 502 mayperform despreading, deinterleaving, decoding, and demodulation. Inanother embodiment, for example in an orthogonal frequency divisionmultiplex access (OFDMA) technology application, for the transmitterfunction the DSP 502 may perform modulation, coding, interleaving,inverse fast Fourier transforming, and cyclic prefix appending, and fora receiver function the DSP 502 may perform cyclic prefix removal, fastFourier transforming, deinterleaving, decoding, and demodulation. Inother wireless technology applications, yet other signal processingfunctions and combinations of signal processing functions may beperformed by the DSP 502.

The DSP 502 may communicate with a wireless network via the analogbaseband processing unit 510. In some embodiments, the communication mayprovide Internet connectivity, enabling a user to gain access to contenton the Internet and to send and receive e-mail or text messages. Theinput/output interface 518 interconnects the DSP 502 and variousmemories and interfaces. The memory 504 and the removable memory card520 may provide software and data to configure the operation of the DSP502. Among the interfaces may be the USB interface 522 and the shortrange wireless communication sub-system 524. The USB interface 522 maybe used to charge the UE 10 and may also enable the UE 10 to function asa peripheral device to exchange information with a personal computer orother computer system. The short range wireless communication sub-system524 may include an infrared port, a Bluetooth interface, an IEEE 802.11compliant wireless interface, or any other short range wirelesscommunication sub-system, which may enable the UE 10 to communicatewirelessly with other nearby mobile devices and/or wireless basestations.

The input/output interface 518 may further connect the DSP 502 to thealert 526 that, when triggered, causes the UE 10 to provide a notice tothe user, for example, by ringing, playing a melody, or vibrating. Thealert 526 may serve as a mechanism for alerting the user to any ofvarious events such as an incoming call, a new text message, and anappointment reminder by silently vibrating, or by playing a specificpre-assigned melody for a particular caller.

The keypad 528 couples to the DSP 502 via the interface 518 to provideone mechanism for the user to make selections, enter information, andotherwise provide input to the UE 10. The keyboard 528 may be a full orreduced alphanumeric keyboard such as QWERTY, Dvorak, AZERTY andsequential types, or a traditional numeric keypad with alphabet lettersassociated with a telephone keypad. The input keys may include atrackwheel, an exit or escape key, a trackball, and other navigationalor functional keys, which may be inwardly depressed to provide furtherinput function. Another input mechanism may be the LCD 530, which mayinclude touch screen capability and also display text and/or graphics tothe user. The LCD controller 532 couples the DSP 502 to the LCD 530.

The CCD camera 534, if equipped, enables the UE 10 to take digitalpictures. The DSP 502 communicates with the CCD camera 534 via thecamera controller 536. In another embodiment, a camera operatingaccording to a technology other than Charge Coupled Device cameras maybe employed. The GPS sensor 538 is coupled to the DSP 502 to decodeglobal positioning system signals, thereby enabling the UE 10 todetermine its position. Various other peripherals may also be includedto provide additional functions, e.g., radio and television reception.

FIG. 8 illustrates a software environment 602 that may be implemented bythe DSP 502. The DSP 502 executes operating system drivers 604 thatprovide a platform from which the rest of the software operates. Theoperating system drivers 604 provide drivers for the wireless devicehardware with standardized interfaces that are accessible to applicationsoftware. The operating system drivers 604 include applicationmanagement services (“AMS”) 606 that transfer control betweenapplications running on the UE 10. Also shown in FIG. 8 are a webbrowser application 608, a media player application 610, and Javaapplets 612. The web browser application 608 configures the UE 10 tooperate as a web browser, allowing a user to enter information intoforms and select links to retrieve and view web pages. The media playerapplication 610 configures the UE 10 to retrieve and play audio oraudiovisual media. The Java applets 612 configure the UE 10 to providegames, utilities, and other functionality. A component 614 might providefunctionality related to MBMS channel mapping and multiplexing.

The UEs 10, ENBs 20, and central control 110 of FIG. 1 and othercomponents that might be associated with the cells 102 may include anygeneral-purpose computer with sufficient processing power, memoryresources, and network throughput capability to handle the necessaryworkload placed upon it. FIG. 9 illustrates a typical, general-purposecomputer system 700 that may be suitable for implementing one or moreembodiments disclosed herein. The computer system 700 includes aprocessor 720 (which may be referred to as a central processor unit orCPU) that is in communication with memory devices including secondarystorage 750, read only memory (ROM) 740, random access memory (RAM) 730,input/output (I/O) devices 710, and network connectivity devices 760.The processor may be implemented as one or more CPU chips.

The secondary storage 750 is typically comprised of one or more diskdrives or tape drives and is used for non-volatile storage of data andas an over-flow data storage device if RAM 730 is not large enough tohold all working data. Secondary storage 750 may be used to storeprograms which are loaded into RAM 730 when such programs are selectedfor execution. The ROM 740 is used to store instructions and perhapsdata which are read during program execution. ROM 740 is a non-volatilememory device which typically has a small memory capacity relative tothe larger memory capacity of secondary storage. The RAM 730 is used tostore volatile data and perhaps to store instructions. Access to bothROM 740 and RAM 730 is typically faster than to secondary storage 750.

I/O devices 710 may include printers, video monitors, liquid crystaldisplays (LCDs), touch screen displays, keyboards, keypads, switches,dials, mice, track balls, voice recognizers, card readers, paper tapereaders, or other well-known input devices.

The network connectivity devices 760 may take the form of modems, modembanks, ethernet cards, universal serial bus (USB) interface cards,serial interfaces, token ring cards, fiber distributed data interface(FDDI) cards, wireless local area network (WLAN) cards, radiotransceiver cards such as code division multiple access (CDMA) and/orglobal system for mobile communications (GSM) radio transceiver cards,and other well-known network devices. These network connectivity 760devices may enable the processor 720 to communicate with an Internet orone or more intranets. With such a network connection, it iscontemplated that the processor 720 might receive information from thenetwork, or might output information to the network in the course ofperforming the above-described method steps. Such information, which isoften represented as a sequence of instructions to be executed usingprocessor 720, may be received from and outputted to the network, forexample, in the form of a computer data signal embodied in a carrierwave.

Such information, which may include data or instructions to be executedusing processor 720 for example, may be received from and outputted tothe network, for example, in the form of a computer data baseband signalor signal embodied in a carrier wave. The baseband signal or signalembodied in the carrier wave generated by the network connectivity 760devices may propagate in or on the surface of electrical conductors, incoaxial cables, in waveguides, in optical media, for example opticalfiber, or in the air or free space. The information contained in thebaseband signal or signal embedded in the carrier wave may be orderedaccording to different sequences, as may be desirable for eitherprocessing or generating the information or transmitting or receivingthe information. The baseband signal or signal embedded in the carrierwave, or other types of signals currently used or hereafter developed,referred to herein as the transmission medium, may be generatedaccording to several methods well known to one skilled in the art.

The processor 720 executes instructions, codes, computer programs,scripts which it accesses from hard disk, floppy disk, optical disk(these various disk-based systems may all be considered secondarystorage 750), ROM 740, RAM 730, or the network connectivity devices 760.While only one processor 720 is shown, multiple processors may bepresent. Thus, while instructions may be discussed as executed by aprocessor, the instructions may be executed simultaneously, serially, orotherwise executed by one or multiple processors.

While several embodiments have been provided in the present disclosure,it should be understood that the disclosed systems and methods may beembodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spiritor scope of the present disclosure.

The present examples are to be considered as illustrative and notrestrictive, and the intention is not to be limited to the details givenherein. For example, the various elements or components may be combinedor integrated in another system or certain features may be omitted, ornot implemented.

Also, techniques, systems, subsystems and methods described andillustrated in the various embodiments as discrete or separate may becombined or integrated with other systems, modules, techniques, ormethods without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.Other items shown or discussed as coupled or directly coupled orcommunicating with each other may be indirectly coupled or communicatingthrough some interface, device, or intermediate component, whetherelectrically, mechanically, or otherwise. Other examples of changes,substitutions, and alterations are ascertainable by one skilled in theart and could be made without departing from the spirit and scopedisclosed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: mapping, by a processor incommunication with at least one memory device, one or more multicasttransport channels (MCHs) to one or more multicast/broadcast singlefrequency networks (MBSFNs) such that any one of the MCHs only maps to asingle MBSFN and further where each one of the MCHs is different.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein a plurality of multicast traffic channels(MTCHs) associated with a particular one of the MBSFNs is mapped to theone of the MCHs of the particular one of the MBSFNs.
 3. The method ofclaim 2, wherein a multicast control channel (MCCH) portion of amultimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) transmission includes aprimary MCCH (P-MCCH) portion containing information related to asecondary MCCH (S-MCCH) portion, and the S-MCCH portion containinginformation related to receiving at least one of the MTCHs, and wherein,when the S-MCCH portion and at least one of the MTCHs are transmitted inthe same one of the MBSFNs, the S-MCCH portion and the at least one ofthe MTCHs are mapped to the same MCH.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein,when information in the P-MCCH portion is specific to a single cell, theP-MCCH portion is mapped to the MCH for the single cell, the MCH for thesingle cell being different from the MCH to which the S-MCCH portion ismapped.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein, when information in theP-MCCH portion is specific to a single cell, the P-MCCH portion ismapped to a downlink shared channel.
 6. The method of claim 3, wherein,when one of the MBSFNs does not overlap with any of the other MBSFNs,and when counting of users interested in the MBMS transmitted in the oneof the MBSFNs is not performed, information that would otherwise becarried in the P-MCCH portion is one of: included in a broadcast controlchannel; and pointed to by the broadcast control channel.
 7. The methodof claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of the MBSFNs areadjacent to one another.
 8. A system, comprising: one or more processorsin communication with at least one memory device, the one of moreprocessors configured to map one or more multicast transport channels(MCHs) to one or more multicast/broadcast single frequency networks(MBSFNs) such that any one of the MCHs only maps to a single MBSFN andfurther where each one of the MCHs is different.
 9. The system of claim8, wherein a plurality of multicast traffic channels (MTCHs) associatedwith one of the MBSFNs is mapped to the one of the MCHs that is mappedto the one of the MBSFNs.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein a multicastcontrol channel (MCCH) portion of a multimedia broadcast multicastservice (MBMS) transmission includes a primary MCCH (P-MCCH) portioncontaining information related to a secondary MCCH (S-MCCH) portion, andthe S-MCCH portion containing information related to receiving at leastone of the MTCHs, and wherein, when the S-MCCH portion and at least oneof the MTCHs are transmitted in the same one of the MBSFNs, the S-MCCHportion and the at least one of the MTCHs are mapped to the same MCH.11. The system of claim 10, wherein, when information in the P-MCCHportion is specific to a single cell, the P-MCCH portion is mapped to acell-specific channel.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein thecell-specific channel is one of: the MCH for the single cell, the MCHfor the single cell being different from the MCH to which the S-MCCHportion is mapped; and a downlink shared channel.
 13. The system ofclaim 10, wherein, when one of the MBSFNs does not overlap with any ofthe other MBSFNs, and when counting of users interested in the MBMStransmitted in the one of the MBSFNs is not performed, information thatwould otherwise be carried in the P-MCCH portion is one of: included ina broadcast control channel; and pointed to by the broadcast controlchannel.
 14. The system of claim 8, wherein the system is a centralcontrol system.